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"Well," Eet going Thanks for the glass of wine and the talk, Nix LincI'll see you around"

I walk E back to his bedroom As she steps out into the hallway, I walk out with her

"I'll walk you down to your car," I offer

"No need I'ood I'll see you after school on Monday"

She starts to walk away and I don't like this cool, nonchalant, "I can easily walk away frorab her wrist She stops and looks at le

"Are you okay?" I don't knohat makes me ask this, or why I'm even worried about it

She gives ood Andwe're cool, Nix No worries"

Nohat the fuck does that mean?

I release her wrist and watch her walk to the elevator She stands there staring at the doors, tapping her toe The s about what just happened ere in the kitchen

Thatto stick with me

The elevator opens and she steps in I start to turn away, but she callsout the doors at me She looks like a cat ready to pounce when she says, "Next tiives me a little wave then disappears behind the doors

I walk back into Linc's apart are al that she's not within arth of me

Heading into the kitchen, I can't help but wonder ould have happened tonight if Linc had not shown up At themyself inside of Emily But I also wonder if I would have talkedto pleasure the hell out of her which was oddly and incredibly gratifying to e completely Would it be worth potential co it would be

I grab the beer I had been drinking and take a long s When I raise the bottle to my mouth, I can smell Eain It doesn't need ement after Emily's last words

"What the fuck are you doing with Ryan Burnham's baby sister?"

I spin around and see Linc walk into the kitchen He grabs a beer out of the fridge and pops it open His words aren't

"I' with her She calass of wine"

"Talkaroo' So fess up"

Shit! He saw that, huh?

Well, I' to lie about it further "Mind your own business We're two consenting adults"

I haven't ad him to keep his nose out ofon

"So, that whole story about her hitting you and working the debt off is fake?"

I smile at him "Nope That's true She almost killed me and now she paints my house as well as a variety of other menial tasks"

"Menial tasks? Please don't tellit off in the bedroo that"

"You're a da her debt off that way She's doing secretarial stuff for my businessandwell, yeah, one day I had her paintroom but that was just to keep her out of my hair for the day"

Linc doesn't say anything and takes another sip of his beer His voice is serious when he says, "Don't hurt her, Nix"

My blood i for her?" There is no way Linc is having Emily!

"No, I don't have a thing for her I aveto find the right words "It's justif you hurt her, it's probably going to ruin my relationship with Ryan Which, I hate to say, could jeopardize our playing together Just be considerate of others is all I'"